• M Chin, T Cummings, C Thomas, and T Seemungal.
• Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.
• W Indian Med J. 2015 May 12; 65 (1): 52-59.

ObjectiveTo determine whether risk stratification using the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score is a predictor of in-hospital mortality for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in a multi-ethnic Caribbean population.MethodDuring a six-month period, all patients meeting the GRACE diagnostic criteria for one of the acute coronary syndromes were entered into a prospective single-centre study at one of the major public hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago. Clinical data, the GRACE risk score and in-hospital morbidity and mortality were recorded. Patients were placed into three GRACE risk categories: low, intermediate or high risk.ResultsThere were 372 patients (mean age 63 years; males 56% and females 44%; hypertension 69%, diabetes mellitus 58%, positive smoking history 43%, previous myocardial infarction 34%), of which 25% were ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, 56% non-ST-segment myocardial infarction and 19% unstable angina pectoris. In-hospital mortality was 8.3%. There were 35%, 33% and 32% of patients in the high, intermediate and low GRACE risk categories, respectively. The GRACE risk score demonstrated good discrimination (C statistic 0.82, 95% CI 0.755, 0879; p < 0.001) and good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow; p = 0.096) for in-hospital mortality in this ACS cohort.ConclusionThe GRACE risk score was found to be a reliable predictor of in-hospital mortality in this ACS population and therefore can be used to identify those high-risk patients who may benefit from aggressive management strategies, thereby allowing for more effective use of limited resources.

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